Entrepreneurs need a free market, not student loan giveaways from Jeremy Hunt June 28, 2019 Entrepreneurs are a frequent component of a politician’s stump speech. MPs love to boast about their regard for job creators. Regardless of which end of the political spectrum you’re on, if you put any importance on healthy economic growth, you know that these people are vital to our success. But for all the lip service [...]
Scrap the porn laws, and keep the government out of our sex lives June 21, 2019 They say once is a coincidence, twice is an accident, three times is a pattern. Now that the introduction of the new porn laws has been delayed for a third time, I think it’s safe to say that we have a clear pattern here from the government – of turning a blind eye to a [...]
DNA samples and bedroom intrusions? The abuse of migrants is a national disgrace June 14, 2019 We live in a time when human rights are considered inherent to all people, not just the majority. Regardless of race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or any other distinguishing trait, it is expected that your rights are equal to anyone else’s. Sadly, society is imperfect and our fellow men and women sometimes fall short of [...]
D-Day offers some perspective for anyone consumed with the current ‘national crisis’ June 7, 2019 On Monday, I took part in BBC Radio 4’s Start the Week, which this week focused on the concept of a national crisis – and how countries get out of it. Academic and author Jared Diamond’s new book Upheaval draws parallels between how an individual deals with a personal crisis to how nations overcome them. [...]
DEBATE: With the top taxpayers revealed, is there a case for lowering the highest rate of income tax? January 29, 2019 With the top taxpayers revealed, is there a case for lowering the highest rate of income tax? Kate Andrews, associate director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, says YES. With the tax burden at a 50-year high, there is almost always a case to be made for lowering whichever tax is up for discussion. This [...]
DEBATE: In losing the US House of Representatives, has President Trump lost his mandate? November 8, 2018 In losing the US House of Representatives, has President Trump lost his mandate? David Waywell, author and political commentator, says YES. Republican losses in the midterms were not as overwhelming as some might have predicted, but defeats in the House of Representatives do mean that Donald Trump loses the mandate he took rather for granted. [...]
Instead of obsessing over faulty stats, let’s celebrate the gender progress we’ve made October 26, 2018 More good news for women: according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the gender pay gap in the UK is now at its lowest on record. Coming in at 8.6 per cent for full-time workers in 2018, the average gap in hourly earnings between men and women is down from 9.1 per cent last [...]
No one in their right mind wants another year of Brexit transition – except the EU October 19, 2018 Who is smiling on the Prime Minister’s announcement that the transition period after exiting the EU could be extended by an extra year? Not the hardline Brexiteers, many of whom think that the UK should have left the bloc yesterday. Not the ultra-Remainers either – an extension of the transition still leads to the inevitable [...]
The Tories talk the talk on free markets, but the policies don’t match the rhetoric October 5, 2018 Last year’s Conservative party conference marked a change in tone for the Prime Minister and her relationship with the free market. Perhaps it was the 2017 snap election upset that made her roll back her language around “untrammeled free markets”, or maybe there was increased understanding that after Brexit a commitment to competition would be vital [...]
Expectations have been set too low – let’s go for the free trade deal Britain deserves September 28, 2018 The Brexit debate has soured on both sides of the aisle. Remainers are hunkering down in their calls for a second referendum, while Leavers – who were not so long ago standing side-by-side to push the vote over the line in their favour – are now subject to infighting over the specific deal that [...]
